1. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed to expandable seals for use in oil and gas wells and, in particular, expandable seals having conforming ribs comprising a metallic material that is softer or more malleable as compared to the metal forming the device carrying the seals to facilitate creation of the seal to a sealing surface disposed in the well.
2. Description of Art
Tubular members having a sealing element such as a packer have been used to seal the annulus of cased wells. In one operation, after the well is drilled into the earth formation an casing is run-in the open-hole formation, a tubular member having a packer is run-in the cased well. The packer is designed to divide the well by sealing against the inner wall of the casing, thereby isolating a lower portion of the annulus from an upper portion of the annulus.
In operation, after the tubular member is run into the desired location in the well, a cone or other device can be transported through the bore of the tubular member until it reaches a portion of the tubular member having a restricted inner diameter. Disposed on the outer wall surface of the tubular member at this location is a sealing element. As the cone, or expansion device, travels downward, this portion of the tubular member is expanded by the cone. The expansion of the tubular member causes the sealing element to contact the inner wall of the casing and separate the cased well into at least two isolated regions, one above the sealing element and one below the sealing element.